Blood Brothers Options

[redsrock]

BLOOD BROTHERS

Chapter One: Gun Control

The carcinogenic smoke rose through the air, a bundle of death resting inside of its cloudy depths. The smoke came from a nasty cigarette, and the cigarette itself came from an old abandoned grocery just a few miles to the southeast. David knew this because he and Jericho had just looted it for anything that was worth selling for caps. The two were mercenaries of the Wasteland, two extremely close friends with totally different backgrounds and morals.

“Jesus, Jericho, do you have to smoke that now? Why not wait until I go to sleep in a few hours? You have guard duty tonight anyway.”

David couldn’t stand it when Jericho smoked because it almost always led to a headache. Smoke from cigarette had always had a negative effect on him ever since Jericho let him try one after their first official contract together.

“Hell no, kid. I gotta have it now. You don’t understand…sometimes I can’t just wait to take a smoke. And definitely not three [censored] hours, that’s for sure.”

Jericho continued to smoke his Monty’s Best cigarette, so David rolled his eyes and took out an orange he had stolen from the grocery. Normally he would have to suffer through the smoke, but this time he had something to help. He took out an orange that he had stolen from the grocery, and then cut in half with a hand-me-down switchblade his older brother had given to him long ago.

“Sonofa[censored], kid, what the hell are you doing with that?” Jericho asked. “Those get us about five caps, maybe more depending on who we’re sellin’ to!”

“Yeah, well…I don’t like the smoke. It gives me a headache, and I don’t want a headache tonight. I want to actually be able to sleep this time. The smell from this orange is the only thing I got that’ll block out that smelly [censored] of yours.”

Jericho shook his head and continued to smoke the cigarette for a few more minutes until there was nothing left to smoke. Then he tossed it to the floor and smashed it with his right foot. He looked at David, who was looking at into the distance from the broken-down bus they were resting in, and saw the orange still close to his nose. He chuckled at this, shaking his head once more. “Kid…you’re an idiot sometimes. If you ask me, you might as well go ahead and get used to smoking. Cause we ain’t gonna retire anytime soon. Besides, it’s been what…seven months now? I figure you’d be used to the smell. It ain’t that bad anyway.”

“To you it’s not, but to me it is.”

David tossed his friend a half of the orange, and the two ate it up within seconds, not having eaten anything the entire day. Jericho threw what he didn’t eat, which was mainly the outside skin, out of the bus. “Say, Kid…we can’t keep eating our food like this. Megaton ain’t but about ten miles away. We can wait till then.”

“Ten miles?” David asked curiously after throwing his own orange away. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, cause we passed that old vault not too longer ago. Why, what are you thinking?”

“Hell, if it’s that close is there really a need to sleep? We should be able to get there before the sun rises if we leave now. It’s only eleven o’clock.”

“[censored]…you’re right. Let’s move.”

The two stood up from their torn bus seats, strapped their backpacks and gathered the rest of their gear—including the loot bag that held all of the items they’d be selling, most of it weapons and ammo from dead Raiders and anyone else willing to step in their way—and started on their way towards Megaton in to the east.

About halfway along the trip it began to rain. At first it was only a few droplets here and there, but within minutes it started to pick up. It only worsened from there, to the point that neither could see more than a few feet in front of them. Jericho was cussing up a storm, blaming David because he wanted to travel through the night. David blamed nobody, because he had enough sense to realize it was by chance that the rain had found them. They marched in the rain for no more than ten or so minutes until they eyed a tiny, one-story house to their right, next to a few other houses that were almost completely destroyed. It looked old and uninhabited, but none of that mattered to them. At this point they were willing to pay caps to stay if anyone was living inside.

“Come on, kid, let’s knock on the door,” Jericho said as he shielded his eyes from the monsoon of sharp rain hitting his skin. They both ran to the door and Jericho knocked. At first there was no reply, but after he knocked once more, a shrill voice came from within inside.

“Gimme a minute, will ya’?” The door swung open, and there stood a little old man no more than four feet tall. He was grabbing at his long gray beard as he looked Jericho and Dave up and down for several seconds. Then he smiled a wide grin. “Whatcha’ doin in the rain, fellas? Come on in!”

Without hesitation, the two entered the house, happy to get out of the storm. Thunder boomed through the sky violently, shaking the house and making David jumped. Jericho chuckled, and then turned his attention to the little man. “Thanks for letting us get outta the rain. Can we stay for the night?”

“Why of course!” the old man exclaimed cheerfully, his large stomach bouncing up and down. “The name’s Rex. Rex Bavadine. It’s good to see some of you fellas out here. I don’t see many mercs around these parts anymore.”

Jericho and David exchanged confused looks. “What makes you think we’re mercs?” David asked.

“Come on, boy! I may be short, but ain’t stupid! You’re carrying guns, first off all, and-“

“Everybody in the Wasteland carries guns,” Jericho interrupted, hoping to one-up the old man. “If not, then they’re [censored]in’ stupid.”

“Yes, that is true, young fella. But…you’re carrying an awful large pack, and you’re wearing armor. You are mercenaries, and don’t try and tell me no different than that! I used to be one m’self,” Rex answered proudly.

“Oh really?” Jericho asked, smiling at the man’s size and trying to imagine him as a mercenary.

“Oh, you betcha’! What I lack in size I make with me sheer will to succeed. My old crew used to call me Mighty Midget.”

Both David and Jericho cracked up laughing; David because he couldn’t help himself, and Jericho because he thought it was hilarious.

“You laugh now, fellas,” Rex said, laughing along like a good sport would. “But I tell ya’…one of you fight with me and see what happens.”

Jericho and David just kept laughing, not entirely sure as to whether Rex was serious or playing around.

“I mean it! Challenge me…any one of ya’! We’ll make a friendly bet out it. I tell you what….both you fight with me…no weapons, just fists only. If I give up first, you get my house and everything in it, and I’ll just be on my merry way. But if I win…if I win, I get all of your loot.”

Rex stepped back a few paces and crossed his arms, the widest smile spread on his hair face that David had ever seen.

“You can’t be serious, old man,” Jericho commented, the laughing having already ceased.

“Oh, I am. I most dearly am.”

“How old are you?”

“Fifty-two and not a day older. Come on…ya’ scared?”

“[censored] no!” By this time Jericho was getting louder, feeling that the man was paying him major disrespect. “I just don’t wanna hurt you. I mean come on, you don’t even rise above my thermos!”

Rex never faltered, he just kept on smiling. “Words can only get you so far, boy. I know your kind. All talk and no walk. Come on…try me.”

David didn’t like where things were going. It seemed so easy, beating up a little old man. But he knew something was wrong. Something didn’t feel right.

“Jericho, let’s just leave. Megaton isn’t that far away.”

“[censored], kid…you may be scared of this little [censored], but I ain’t.” He dropped his backpack to the floor and scooted his supplies off to the side. “Come on, Davie, he’s a midget! What’s to be worried about?”

David didn’t know how to answer, because he didn’t even have one. There was simply something about Rex he didn’t like. “This doesn’t feel right. He’s hustling us. I just know he is…”

Jericho shook his head from side to side, his angered eyes glaring right into Rex’s calm eyes. “No, this little [censored] is gonna get what he deserves! After we’re through with him he’s gonna [censored] regret it!”

Jericho suddenly charged Rex, who was still as calm as could be. When Jericho raised his fist to punch, Rex kicked him in the stomach. Jericho bent over and then Rex kicked him in the mouth. Jericho fell to the floor, spitting out blood from his mouth. He tried tackling the man, but Rex sidestepped the attack, and then jumped on Rex’s back. He grabbed his arm and pulled it, and Jericho screamed out in pain. That’s when David ran over and kneed the man in the back of the head, knocking him off of Jericho. The two mercenaries and were on one side of the small, cramped room, and Rex stood on the other.

“I’ll let ya’ quit now if ya’ want, but this is your last chance.”

Without answering, Jericho pulled out his .44 magnum and pointed it at Rex’s head. “You mother[censored]in’ cheater…you kicked me! You said fists only, midget honoured user!”

Rex titled his head sideways, and then sighed heavily. “Hmm…it seems you’re right, boy. I did cheat. But I swear I didn’t mean to. I must’ve been the competiveness in me. I do hope you’ll forgive me. How about we just call the whole thing off and forget about it? I shouldn’t have even done this. Lucy used to tell I was too rowdy...before the dogs took her that is.”

“No!” Jericho yelled, still pointing the gun to Rex’s head. “Give me all your [censored] caps or I’ll blow you mother[censored]in’ head off!”

“Jericho!” David yelled, taken back by his partner’s rage. It was normal for him to cop an attitude, but to threaten an innocent man’s life? That was not normal. “Let’s just go!”

The three stood there, no one smiling or laughing this time. Rex was seconds away from dying, and he knew this. “Listen…I didn’t mean any harm, fella…I swear to ya’. I only have about thirty caps to my name. But if that’s really what ya’ want I’ll give ‘em to ya’. Just don’t kill me. Please…”

Jericho moved closer to the man and touched his temple with the pistol. Then he whispered just loud enough for the whole room to hear, “Not so tough now, are you, midget? Not so tough with a [censored]in’ gun against your head, are you? I should shoot your sorry boat and take whatever you got here. I’d be doing everyone a favor. No one likes a [censored]y midget.”

Rex was starting to tear up, the tears running down his rosy red cheeks. His entire body was trembling. He didn’t want to die.

“Jericho, leave him alone!” David pleaded. But Jericho wouldn’t listen. He wasn’t finished yet.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t blow your mother[censored]in’ head off, will ya’? I really want to know…cause it’s gonna take a lot for me not to. I don’t take [censored] from no one. I sure the hell wish you would have found this out sooner.”

“Please...please just leave,” Rex pleaded, bawling now.

Finally David had had enough. He took the gun from Jericho’s hand before he even knew what was going on. “Dammit, Jericho, let’s go! Now!”

At first it appeared Jericho was going to hit David. But he thought about it, and then turned back to Rex, who was still trembling just as much as before. Jericho spit at his shoes, picked up his gear from across the room, and then headed towards the exit of the house muttering something under his breath. But before he actually left, he turned around and looked at Rex. “You’re [censored]in’ lucky Davie was here to bail you out. The next merc that comes through here won’t be quite as nice. [censored]in’ [censored]…” Then he walked out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

“Thank you, thank you!” Rex said as he tried to hug David. David simple stepped back and said, “He was right, you know. You did cheat, and you have been a [censored] to us, especially Jericho. I don’t know if you meant it, but just watch yourself from now on. Jericho was right…the next merc won’t be as nice.”

Without letting Rex respond, David gathered his gear and headed outside to meet up with Jericho. Ironically enough, the rain had for the most stopped, and was now more of a slight drizzle than anything.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yeah, let’s get the [censored] outta here.”




They walked in silence for most of the way. Then, as they reached the top of a hill, they could see the nightlights of Megaton just a few miles away. The light illuminated the sky so brightly, so bright that David almost felt drawn to them in a way. It was so amazing to him how well people could live with each other in one large community. He himself had grown up in the southwest of the Wastelands, where there were mostly small settlements here and there; but for the most part it had been every family for themselves. David admired the people of Megaton. So much that he hoped to be one of them someday.

“I couldn’t help it, kid, and you know it,” Jericho suddenly said, snapping David back into reality.

“Huh?”

“Back there at that midget’s house…I couldn’t help myself. I just…I was so angry, you know? The [censored] would have deserved it though.”

“Oh…that. Well, you do get angry sometimes. Just…just try and gain control of yourself. He wasn’t a truly bad man, Jericho. Just lonely, that’s all.”

“I know. But I used to be a Raider, remember? And we did [censored] that I never want to think about again.” He shook his head several times, as if shrugging off a bad nightmare that wouldn’t go away. “It felt so good holding that gun to his head, having all the power. You know what I mean, kid? A gun is a powerful weapon. More powerful than words. More power than control. A gun is control. Remember that, alright? Who knows what’ll happen to me. With my quick mouth I’ll probably get my boat shot sooner or later. But hell…I’m still alive now, right?”

“To be totally honest, Jericho…you really are one intimidating sonofa[censored]. There’s a reason most people at Megaton don’t like to be around you. It’s mostly because you piss them off,” David said laughing. “But I do think part of it is that they know you used to be a Raider. Unfortunately enough.”

“Yeah. Bastards think I’ll just suddenly snap someday out of nowhere. You think that’ll happen? I think about it sometimes…I dream about it to, you know.”

“I wouldn’t look too much into it. It’s been what, ten years since you Raider days? If you haven’t done anything by now, I’m pretty sure you’ll be alright.”

David patted Jericho on the shoulder, who in turn just nodded. “Yeah…that’s what I keep telling myself.”

[redsrock]

Chapter Three: Extreme Accusations

According to Sheriff Simm’s map, the Raider’s lair was located just a few miles northeast of Megaton, inside an old abandoned car factory. Simms didn’t give any additional information, other than David and Jericho were to expect heavy resistance. Before leaving, David was actually able to strike an alternate deal with the Sheriff. Simms agreed to pay them five hundred caps each for the head of Raider’s leader, as well as the key to the house in Megaton. David’s part in the deal was the five hundred extra caps each, and Simm’s part was the head of the leader so that he knew they weren’t lying.

“Sounds good to me, kid. You always have been good with words. Why is that? You some kinda fuckin’ nerd and never told me?”

The two mercenaries had already left Megaton and were roughly halfway between the city and their destination. Before leaving, both had purchased assault-rifles from the general goods store, Craterside Supply. They both had their magnums and sawed-off shotguns, their preferred weaponry during combat, but they also know they’d have to have some extra firepower for the mission ahead.

“I don’t know, I guess it depends on what you consider a nerd to be. If you think that a nerd is someone who holds their education extremely important to them, then yeah…I’m a nerd.”

“Geez, kid, you don’t have to get all defensive about. I’m just shittin’ around anyway. About this defensiveness though…did kids make fun of you or somethin’? Cause we can go blow their heads off if you want to.”

David smiled at that, and then even chuckled. “Well, I wasn’t exactly the most popular kid, that’s for sure. I had my friends though, but we all sort of kept to ourselves. All three of us.”

“Three of you, eh? And what happened to these friends?”

“We…we went our separate ways. It doesn’t matter either way, because it was a long time ago. The last time I talked to my dad, which was years ago of course, one of them was murdered by some drunk. His name was Enrique, and he was accused of cheating some guy in Texas Hold ‘Em.”

“Did he cheat?”

“Yeah…probably. It just pisses me off is all. Everything’s messed up nowadays.”

“No, everything is painted up. I’ve told this a million times, kid. You have to get used to compassion like that. I mean, no offence or anything, but it sounds to me like your little friend deserved what he got.”

“Over a game of cards?”

“Hell yeah over a game of cards, especially these days! Hold ‘Em, not to mention other games, are good ways to gain money. I’m not surprised he was killed. Hell…I probably would have done the same thing if I was the guy who got cheated. It’s nothing personal kid…it’s just life. But you’re still young. You’ll understand things eventually.”

“I’m already twenty-three years old…”

“Yeah? Well that don’t mean compassion down here in the Wastelands. Maybe up north with mommy and daddy it meant you were old and mature, but down here it means you’ll only fuckin’ lucky not to be dead! It’s the way it is, kid. Look at me. I’m thirty-nine years old, and I’m gonna turn forty in a few months. You know that’s gotten me? Fuckin’ nothing, that’s what! Nobody cares how old you are down here, they only care about if you got caps. And if you do, more than likely they’re gonna try and take them from you. It’s fuckin’ survival of the fittest at its best. Goddamn Herbert Spencer would be proud.”

“Too bad Spence isn’t the one who where it originated from. He got most of his ideas from Charles Darwin. Besides, how the hell do you know who Spencer is anyway? Isn’t he a little too…nerdy for you?”

“hamster you, kid,” Jericho laughed. “I ain’t as stupid as you think. My mom used to read compassion when I was a kid, and I remember her telling me about random compassion all the time, most of which I never understood.” He paused and the continued to walk. Then, out of the blue, he said, “It really didn’t come from Spencer?”

“No, it came from Charles Darwin. Except Darwin called it ‘natural selection’. Me personally, I think Spencer called it what he did just to get people’s attention. This isn’t to say he’s stupid. Quite the contrary; the man was very intelligent. I just don’t like it when people say he invented the very concept itself.”

“Whatever. It doesn’t even matter. My point still stands, Davie. And I’m fuckin’ serious with this, so listen up. The only thing that matters out here is if you’re tough enough. If you are, then you ain’t got nothing to worry about. But if you’re not, your boat will probably be dead, and you won’t even see it coming. But you got talents, kid, that’s for sure. Hacking, lock picking… I can’t do any of that compassion. I like blasting my way through stuff. I think you’ll be alright, just as long as you keep eyes out for everything around you.”

“I’m glad I have such a wonderful teacher,” David teased.

“You’re right…I am sort of your teacher, aren’t I? At least I can teach you the ways of the Wasteland. It’s only been a few months since I met ya’ up in Greenwood. But so far you’re doing good. What I want to is, how the hamster are well off with a gun when you come from goody-goody Greenwood?”

“It’s a long story, and I don’t really feel like explaining it right now. But don’t you know most of it from the way you found me in the first place?”

“Yeah, I guess so. But I think there’s a lot more to it than that…”




About an hour or so later the two arrived at the entrance of the Raider cave. On the door was a symbol that only Jericho understood. It was a green spray-painted open-palmed hand. In the middle of the palm was a bright yellow…something. David couldn’t quite make it out, but to him it looked like a tiny star. David saw it as some weird symbol of something that he didn’t understand, but Jericho saw it for what it really was…because he was once part of it. He had sprayed that powerful symbol plenty of times himself. But David knew none of this, because Jericho never told him. He never told him about the symbol, because he couldn’t even explain it to him anymore. Years had passed by, forcing him to forget certain things, the symbol among others. But now that he was seeing it face to face once more, it was all flooding back; a long flood of horrid nightmares and ghastly memories.

Jericho slowly reached towards the symbol, his hand shaking immensely with fear and anxiety. David watched as he did this, confused, but not entirely perplexed by his partner’s fear. He was simply unaware of the magnitude the symbol on the door represented. He knew this “reunion” was going to be a tough one for Jericho, even if he wouldn’t know any of the Raiders they were about to kill. The top of Jericho’s index finger touched the paint, part of it coming off. “It’s still wet,” he whispered, and David was aware he was talking to himself. He watched as his partner stared at the wet paint on his fingers, for what seemed like hours. Then Jericho whispered again, “After all these years…it still lives.”

“What still lives?” David asked.

Suddenly Jericho shook his head, as if he were waking up from some kind of daydream. “compassion…sorry, kid. It’s…it’s this symbol here. It means something to me.”

“What is it, a mark of territory?”

“Yes…but it’s much more than that. It stands for the Raider way. You see the hand there, and the star inside of it? The open hand stands for freedom, the fact that the Raiders roam free, without any rules to follow. And that star there, that star stands for blood, the blood they take from their victims. It’s symbolic of course; Raiders ain’t blood drinkers or anything like that. The blood signifies their harsh way of life. Murder…is the Raider way.”

Jericho spoke as if he were in some kind of trance. David didn’t like it because it was very creepy to him. He wasn’t use to seeing Jericho acting so nervous and fearful. “Are you sure you can do this?” David asked.

“Yes,” he answered softly, not looking back at David. “I have to…”

And with that he opened the door, leading to a fairly long hallway, and then another closed door at the end. A single dim light on the roof in the middle of the passageway was all the light they received, other than the natural light from the sun of course. After all, it was barely past noon. The two crept down the hallway carefully, making the least amount of noise that there combat boots would allow. Both also had their assault rifles ready, in case they were ambushed as soon as they crossed into whatever room awaited them behind the closed door. David noticed that Jericho’s hands were shaking, and he didn’t like that. Jericho had always been there for him whenever things got exceptionally bad. Now, unfortunately, David had a feeling those roles were about to be reversed.

Without saying anything, Jericho slowly opened the door. On the other side was a large room, filled with old, long-dead cars, and random parts strewn throughout. The room looked to be large enough to fit Megaton itself in, but the cars lying everywhere took away from the true size, which was definitely saying something. There was a nailed-shut door at the far end, so there was no going through there. But to the door’s left, at the very end, was a ramp that led to an open space that was missing its door. That is where Jericho and David headed, taking small, careful steps the entire way.

When they got to the open space they found it led to yet another hallway, but this one was different. Trails of blood started from close inside the hallway, and led to the very end, where there was another door. There weren’t any bodies, but the blood looked fairly fresh. “Watch your step, kid. I got a bad feeling things are about to get hot.” He held his ear to the door, trying to hear anything from the other side. “I think I can hear chatter…but I’m not sure. Load your gun just in case we gotta shoot quick.”

Sighing heavily, he opened the door. Behind the door was a much smaller room, with stairs to their immediate right. Standing on the other side of the room where three Raiders wearing their normal makeshift armor, seemingly made out of junk metal. They had the usual strange, outlandish Raider hairdos, and before they could even move Jericho began firing at them, David following just seconds later.

The bodies fell within seconds, and before Jericho or David could do anything else, they heard voices from their left. A door swung open, and out came five more Raiders, one wearing a red-painted helmet. They assumed this one to be the leader. The Raiders fired at the two mercenaries with their rifles and shotguns; Jericho and David dodged to their right, behind an old broken down car to use as their shield. Through all of the screaming and bullets hitting metal, Jericho yelled to his partner, “Lob a grenade, kid!”

David just that. He cooked the grenade, and then tossed it quickly before going back behind his cover. They heard an explosion, and the room shook. After several seconds, after the debris settled, they heard no more screams or bullets. Jericho poked head out and said, “Nice fuckin’ throw, kid. I think you got ‘em all.”

They walked out from their cover spot and then inspected the area from where the Raiders came from. Sure enough they were all dead, including the leader with his red-painted helmet.

David noticed that Jericho was no longer shaking, and that was a good thing. His fears had seemed to subsided, possibly from finally facing his fears. But the fear was not yet over. Not by a longshot. “Sheriff Shithead says we gotta take his head, right? Well…you might wanna look away for a second.”

Jericho showed his thick, long combat knife, and David immediately turned away.




They made it back to Megaton shortly after six o’clock. But when they entered the town, both men knew something was wrong. Sheriff Simms was walking up the metal-tile path from the market area, accompanied by two of his deputies, men that David and Jericho knew only by face. “Jericho, I’m placing you under arrest.”

“Eh…what the hamster was that?” Jericho asked, not sure he heard the Sheriff correctly.

“I said I’m placing you under arrest. Hands behind your back, son.” The Sheriff was speaking with a chilled calmness. “I don’t want any trouble now, but I won’t hesitate to use force if you cause us trouble.”

“And what the hamster am I being arrested for?”

“On charges of rape, brought upon by Miss Lucy West.”

“What? I ain’t even talked to that umbrella seller in weeks!”

It looked as if Jericho was reaching for his magnum, and so Simms and his deputies took out their own revolvers. “Hands up, motha’hamster lover!” The Sheriff yelled.

Jericho, seeing the weapons being pointed at his face, actually took out his own weapon this time, and pointed it directly at Simms’ face. “You got the wrong guy, Sheriff! Something about this smells compassionate!”

Before anything else could happen three fellows from behind, that neither David nor Jericho were aware of, tackled Jericho to the ground. They took his magnum, and then tied his hands and feet with rope. “Ya’ sonsabitches! Davie, I didn’t fuckin’ do it! I didn’t do it!” Jericho yelled, but it was no use. Once they had him tied, the Sheriff came up and kicked him square in the back of the head. This knocked Jericho out cold.

David started towards the Sheriff, but Simms raised his revolver and pointed it at him. “This has nothing to do with you, boy. I suggest you leave now and rethink things before coming after me. Jericho ain’t goin’ anywhere. I can’t be letting men run around raping people at random. He’s lucky if I don’t shoot ‘im between the eyes.”

“Sheriff, this is great compassion and you know it!”

“I’ll decide that. But Jericho stays in prison, and he’s lucky if I don’t kill him for the compassion he’s pulled. Don’t interfere, boy, or else you’ll find yourself in a world of hurt.”

“What…what the hell, Sheriff! Where is the proof any of this happened?” David was yelling at the top of his lungs, but without his hands anywhere near his magnum’s holster.

“It’s not of your concern. I’ll repeat myself one last time, do NOT interfere with official business. I won’t make you leave since I’ve never had a problem with you, but don’t think that won’t change if I find you sneakin’ around asking questions. My decision on Jericho’s arrest is final, and there is nothing else to say about it. Good day.”

The Sheriff and his deputies led Jericho away, and David could do nothing but stare in disbelief. He didn’t know what to do. They went from the soon-to-be owners of a house in Megaton, to Jericho being accused of rape. And David just knew it wasn’t possible. The two had barely been in the Megaton area, so it just couldn’t be true. Lucy West was David’s next destination. He had a couple of questions to ask.